The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today applauded the publication of new regulations that reform the export controls for satellites and related items.

The U.S. Departments of State and Commerce each published rules that will transfer commercial communications satellites and some remote sensing satellites, along with tens of thousands of associated parts, components, and ground terminals from the more restrictive U.S. Munitions List to the Commerce Control List.

This action marks the end of a 15-year period during which all U.S. satellite exports were licensed as munitions, creating unnecessary constraints on U.S. satellite competitiveness internationally. The Administration issued final rules less than 18 months after the U.S. Congress passed legislation permitting satellite export control reform, with bipartisan and bicameral support. The new regulations will take effect in six months' time, to allow U.S. manufacturers, their international suppliers and customers, and government agencies to update their internal licensing and compliance systems.

"SIA congratulates the U.S. government on this truly comprehensive overhaul to the U.S. satellite export control system," said Patricia Cooper, President of the Satellite Industry Association. "With a more modern regulatory environment for exports in place, we look forward to unleashing the full force of American ingenuity and innovation at work in the international market."

The Satellite Industry Association has promoted satellite export reform for over 15 years, by actively advocating for legislation to permit reform and participating extensively in the process to develop final rules. Ms. Cooper added, "We at SIA thank the many Administration and Congressional officials who undertook this thoughtful and wide-sweeping update and look forward to a careful review of the new regulations and active engagement throughout the implementation period."

For copies of the final regulations, please visit the following links:

SIA is a U.S.-based trade association providing worldwide representation of the leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers. Since its creation more than eighteen years ago, SIA has advocated for the unified voice of the U.S. satellite industry on policy, regulatory, and legislative issues affecting the satellite business. For more information, visit www.sia.org.